Footnotes

From the large mechanical music pieces in this sale which would struggle to fit in some residences, we present here a piece which would fit through a buttonhole.By the early 19th Century, Swiss watchmakers had developed skills to such a degree, the manufacturing of useful items such as this vinaigrette no longer contained simply a sponge. In the tiny recess under the main compartment, here resides a movement which shows just how good these makers really were. With this tiny musical wonder, they have triumphed by creating a highly functional object which is musical.

Upper classes of society had boxes like these which contained a scent in the form of a soaked sponge under a pierced grille, accessed when the lid is opened. Placed close to the nose if walking past someone or something which emanated a bad smell, the tiny sponge inside would have been soaked in perfume or scented vinegar.

Rarely marked, these miniature vertu pieces are extremely sought-after today for their quality and beauty. To provide viewers with a technical insight for a moment, all tooling was done by hand and the work lit by candlelight almost 200 years ago. Under close inspection, one would question the possibility of someone today recreating this quality under similar conditions.

It is important to note that due to the superb condition of this very rare piece, it was decided that the removal of the case and chassis screws for the purposes of photographing the movement was too risky. Notice how the case screws are unmarked and un-burred, an unusual sight because of its age. An archive shot of the movement is available upon request and this lot is also seen on the on-line version of this catalogue.

This sale is now finished. If you are interested in consigning in future sales, please contact the specialist department. If you have queries about lots purchased in this sale, please contact customer services.

Buyers' Obligations

ALL BIDDERS MUST AGREE THAT THEY HAVE READ AND UNDERSTOOD BONHAMS' CONDITIONS OF SALE AND AGREE TO BE BOUND BY THEM, AND AGREE TO PAY THE BUYER'S PREMIUM AND ANY OTHER CHARGES MENTIONED IN THE NOTICE TO BIDDERS. THIS AFFECTS THE BIDDERS LEGAL RIGHTS.

If you have any complaints or questions about the Conditions of Sale, please contact your nearest customer services team.

Buyers' Premium and Charges

Buyer's Premium Rates25% on the first $100,000 of the Hammer Price20% from $100,001 to $2,000,000 of the Hammer Price12% on the excess over $2,000,000 of the Hammer Price

Payment Notices

Payment for purchases may be made in or by (a) cash, (b) cashier's check or money order, (c) personal check with approved credit drawn on a U.S. bank, (d) wire transfer or other immediate bank transfer, or (e) Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover credit, charge or debit card. A processing fee will be assessed on any returned checks. Please note that the amount of cash notes and cash equivalents that can be accepted from a given purchaser may be limited.

Shipping Notices

For information and estimates on domestic and international shipping as well as export licences please contact Bonhams Shipping Department.